Empire's Foundation

Crafting

The crafting skill is used to create objects. The approach taken by the crafting rules is meant to encompass the creation of just about any kind of object, whether mundane or magical.

There are three stages to crafting mundane objects, and four stages for creating magical items. Each stage involves monetary and temporal investments, and most types of crafting require the use of at least some tools.

Types of Crafting

There are two levels of crafting skills, the General skills and the Training Specialties.

General skills may be learned simply by practice, by anyone. However the Training Specialties may not be learned until some instruction is provided, and the amount of time training determines how advanced a character may advance in a skill on their own.

Crafting Process

Creating any item spans three stages: Basic Shaping, Refining, and Finishing. Magical items also require the Imbuing stage, but that will be covered in a different area. To craft an item, first the final weight of the physical components must be determined. Then raw materials must be purchased allowing for 10% waste. One day must be spent for each unit (described in the General Craft skill descriptions) after which time (called a Crafting Interval) a skill check is made using the General craft skill that applies. Depending on the complexity of the rough form, this check will be made with a d20 or d20+d4. Success on the check indicates that the Basic Shaping stage of crafting the item is completed. Failure means another 5% of raw materials must be purchased for each point by which the check failed and another craft check must be made after a period of time equal to 50% of the Crafting Interval.

Once the Basic Shaping stage is complete, a functional item has been produced. It will not be as durable (2 dice lower than the material would normally indicate) or attractive (item will not be marketable except in cases where fully finished items are not required, such as crates) as a properly finished piece, but it will serve the purpose for which it is intended.

The refining stage requires more time, equal to the original crafting time, to hone and refine the shape and quality of the item. After this time is spent, a Craft skill check is made using the particular Specialty Training required. This check is typically made with a d20+d4 or d20+d6. Success indicates the item is fully refined and ready for finishing. Failure means another 5% of raw materials must be purchased for every two points by which the check fails and another Crafting Interval must be spent before making a second check.

At this point a reasonably attractive and durable (1 die lower than the material would indicate) item has been produced which may be sold for the cost of the raw materials included in the final piece (not any waste).

The final step is the Finishing stage. Another Crafting Interval is spent finishing the piece, and finishing materials must be purchased. After this a final Crafting Specialty check is made (usually with d20+d6 or d20+d8). Failure means another Crafting Interval and finishing materials must be repurchased entirely before another check is made. Success means a fully durable and marketable product has been produced which will sell for a fair market price.

Superior Products

If a character wishes to create a superior product, for each step up in durability die the Crafting Interval is increased by 100%. So an item that is one step up will take (minimum) twice as long to craft, two steps up three time as long, and three steps up four times as long. In addition, the secondary die is increased at each stage by one step per increase in durability. Cost penalties for failed checks are also increased by 100% per step up.

However, the increased time and difficulty result in items that are able to be sold for much more than standard versions of the product. One step up may be sold for 3 times the standard price, two steps up for 6 times, and three steps up for 18 times the standard price.

Items intended to become permanent magical items must be crafted at the highest durability (three steps up on the durability dice).

Alchemy

Alchemy crafting is the skill of combining liquids, minerals, and metals in various combinations to produce known new materials, affect human physiology, or other effects. The crafting application is different from Experimental Alchemy, as the result of the alchemy crafting is known, as are the ingredients.